Harden spurs Thunder past Rockets 122-104

OKLAHOMA CITY(AP) -- James Harden let loose his first 3-pointer
after two weeks away, then bounced a couple times as the ball
sailed toward the basket.

When the ball splashed down, the Oklahoma City Thunder's missing
piece had returned with a flourish to lead the way in a
dominating win with implications on the Western Conference
playoff race.

Harden returned from an injury to supplement Kevin Durant's 25
points with 23 of his own, and the Thunder ended a string of
futility against the Houston Rockets with a 122-104 victory on
Wednesday night.

"I just wanted to come out and get my swag back like it was
before I left," said Harden, who had his fourth 20-point game of
the season and his first since Dec. 7.

The Thunder got out to a sizzling start and opened a 23-point
lead within the first 14 minutes. Their lead was never in
jeopardy against a Houston team desperately needing a late
charge to make the playoffs.

Instead, Oklahoma City used its second-best shooting performance
of the season to take a big step toward solidifying its spot in
the postseason. In moving to 43-27, the Thunder matched their
win total from the past two seasons combined.

Luis Scola scored 25 and Trevor Ariza added 20 points for
Houston, which fell seven games behind Oklahoma City and 5 1/2
behind eighth-place Portland in the Western Conference with a
dozen games left.

"We've just got to go play," Rockets reserve Kyle Lowry said.
"We've got to finish strong and see what happens."

Oklahoma City snapped a 13-game losing streak against Houston
that had been the Rockets' longest against any opponent in
franchise history. Houston's last loss in the series came on
April 4, 2006, in Seattle.

The return of Harden provided a huge boost for the Thunder, who
went 3-3 while their top-scoring bench player was out with a
strained right hamstring and dropped into the seventh spot in
the West.

"James brings a dynamic to our team," Thunder coach Scott Brooks
said. "He's a playmaker. He scores, he can play off the ball, he
can play on the ball and he makes plays for our guys."

Harden poured in 13 points in his first 5 minutes off the bench,
including the final eight points in a 14-0 surge by the Thunder
that spanned the break between the first and second quarters.
Harden converted a fast-break layup and then added back-to-back
3-pointers and a pair of free throws.

His 3-pointer a few moments later completed his 4-for-4 start
and put Oklahoma City up 50-27 with 10:18 left before halftime.

"He came in and provided a big-time spark for us on the
offensive end and he was defending also," fellow reserve Eric
Maynor said. "It was good to have him back."

Harden was hurt in a win against New Orleans on March 10 and had
to sit out for the first time in his rookie season.

"It was tough because I didn't touch a ball for a few days,"
said Harden, who was expected to miss two to four weeks and
returned on the early end of that window. "It was tough having
to just do rehab and just sticking with the program. These last
few days, I've been shooting the ball well.

"I think that taking the time off really helped me just get my
form ready and my shot really ready."

The Thunder made 25 of their first 30 shots, for an 83 percent
conversion rate, and led by as many as 24 during their
highest-scoring half of the season. Houston closed back within
13 following a 16-5 response and trailed 74-57 at halftime, but
never got closer than 15 in the second half.

While Oklahoma City had its bench replenished, the Rockets were
playing without reserves Shane Battier, Jordan Hill and Jared
Jeffries, and had to bring in reinforcements from the NBA
Development League by calling up Jermaine Taylor and signing
Mike Harris for the rest of the season.

Lowry had 13 of his 15 points in the first half, but the rest of
Houston's depleted bench did little to offset Harden's
spectacular return on a night that saw Oklahoma City score its
second-most points this season and make a season-best 47 field
goals on 59 percent shooting.

"(Harden) came into the game on fire. When a guy comes in and
gives you 20-something points off the bench and he hits three
straight 3s, it's kind of tough to stop that," Lowry said. "He
was fresh. He was hurt, came back and he was on fire."

NOTES: Thunder G Russell Westbrook has planned a celebrity
bowling tournament for Saturday night, featuring his Thunder
teammates along with Reggie Wayne and Cato June from the
Indianapolis Colts. The event will benefit the Oklahoma City
Urban Youth Scholarship Fund. ... Oklahoma City took a 94-93
lead in the all-time series. ... Only five days earlier, the
Thunder set what had been their highest-scoring half of the
season with 71 first-half points against Toronto.